Opinions without facts are a slippery slope to an ignorance you can't escape. Misinformation is like a disease and holding onto ideas and beliefs based on false or misinformation is detrimental to yourself and those around you.
I know we continue to discuss silent protests and how some believe it's disrespectful to the flag and our troops but I'd like to say this... and hopefully it's the last thing I feel pushed to say on the issue.
Some people act as though the national anthem IS the flag, and that those symbols ARE America. Some people seem to imply that the Star Spangled Banner harkens back the very revolution and it is the symbol of our bid for freedom; that protesting against the national anthem's false claims of being "the land of the free" are Un-American.
But some research into the anthem tells us that it was not referencing the Revolutionary War, but that it was a portion of a poem written about the War of 1812. A war in which America fought against trade embargoes, not for freedom. Because America is and in many ways has always been, a capitalist country run by a government that puts money before it's people. The war of 1812 is considered a battle included in the Napoleonic wars, and not its own war by everyone except the US and Canada.
The stanza of the longer poem it was sampled from, while not in reference to the Revolution, was about our flag, our symbol of America, surviving against all odds. It was poetically beautiful and holds true symbolic value showing that America will always live on to keep fighting.
The Star-Spangled Banner became our officially recognized anthem in the early 1900's. At least three other songs were used in the 137 year interim before Woodrow Wilson chose this stanza that had been set to music and congress approved it several years later.
These points show us that history is written by those in power, usually years after the actual events (as is the case with many of our nations statues and monuments). Some folks are act as though George Washington himself wrote the Star Spangled Banner and sung it as he ran the last of the Red Coats off our land. But that's a false impression, and it leads to a bloated sense of symbolism that detracts from the point of the protest. A point that is only mirrored by the song and the flag it sings of.
Things have value and significance because we give them such, not because it is inherent to their existence. To think a song that wasn't even originally meant to be used as our national anthem is now the END ALL AND BE ALL of American Patriotism is a little far reaching. Protesting a song about the hypocrisy in its lyrics and symbolism is not the same as disrespecting the people who fight for those same principles.
If anything, I would argue that they are kneeling as much in defense of what most veterans fight for, as they are against those who seek to oppress those ideals.
If we're going to be that staunch about symbolism, then why not start with what "taking a knee" means. Veterans take a knee to respect their fallen brothers and sisters. For this reason, this act was chosen after a conversation with colleague and veteran, Nate Boyer brought its symbolism to Collin Kaepernick's attention.
Parents bend to a knee to respond to and comfort hurt children. It shows that they are on more stable ground, but willing to bend to the level needed.
It's also how you land when there is so much pressure you physically can not take it anymore and your body buckles. It's the pose of someone still trying to stand strait under circumstances against their will.
There is so much better symbolism in taking a knee than shallow and pedantic rebellion or disrespect.
Those symbols parallel the goals that those taking a knee are fighting for. They are showing respect for those that have fallen already. They are taking their money and time and donating it, bringing themselves and their wallets to the aid of those still fighting injustices, and providing tools for the future. And they are showing, above all else, that the weight of these atrocities are too much to bear any longer, but they won't stop fighting.
Kneeling is not to dishonor our flag, and certainly not our vets. It's to bring awareness to real problems in our country. Problems with police brutality and racism in America. And if you think there isn't still racism in this country then I would call you blind.
Taking a knee is a respectful gesture as well, it allows you to quietly hold your ground without being disruptive to the team or fans. The very fact that it has caused any ripples at all is a clear indication that a problem still exists.
There are those that condemn a non-violent protest all the while touting false nationalism; disrespecting our flag on a daily basis with their ignorance and apathy towards the US Flags Code of Conduct. The same people usually claim they are defending the veterans who fought and died for that flag and song. Except many veterans will tell you they didn't. I don't think a single veteran in history went into service because of a piece of cloth and a melody, though many went in for the tenets those symbols represent.
They fought and many died to defend freedom, liberty, their families, your families. But many servicemen and servicewomen joined for financial or educational reasons. Not because they felt any magical tug of patriotism coming from their friends American flag swim trunks. And if you think that's cynical, try asking the veterans of Reddit why they truthfully joined.
We should all take a step back and be more discerning of the information we have, and search for facts, before defending misinformation. Before you boycott peaceful protest (which is kind of an oxymoron.... as boycotting is a form of peaceful protest) why not really look at the situation at hand and see how much good has come so far, how much attention this has garnered. And help use its momentum to accomplish positive goals. We should consider what brought this all on to begin with and instead of relying on biased media sources, dig deeper into the true nature of these instances of bully cops and systemic, ingrained racism.
At the end of the day, your opinion is yours and no one, least of all myself, should try to change it. But is it truly your opinion if it's based on purposefully deceptive and often outright false information?
Let's do the truly patriotic thing and move the world closer to freedom and equality FOR ALL.
